Two of my friends made a bet back in college - one friend said in the next 50 years, someone will run a sub 2-hour marathon and the other friend disagreed. This was 12 years ago so the questions is, in the next 38 years, will someone break 2-hours?

I will be cycling from Nor-Cal to Central California and back starting from Thursday 8/28 to Monday 9/1. The trip will be from San Jose, CA to Bakersfield, CA and the distance is about 240 mile one way, 480 miles total.

I was supposed to run 5 miles yesterday but was so dog tired that I couldn't do it. I didn't get up this morning to do it either because I still felt like I needed to sleep. This is the miserable kind of tired I am talking about.

So the question arises, do athletes need to take vitamins? The answer, if you follow the scientific literature, is absolutely! In fact, athletes need more vitamins and minerals than the average person.

Should you be right behind the person? A few yards back? Off to the side a little? I tried it yesterday right behind a person (about 2 feet back) and felt like was working against the persons kick turbulence. Is there another way?

I am currently training for 2 Sprint Tri's this summer, and was just wondering what is a good average for my weekly running mileage?? I have a very strong swimming background and the bike I don't have to worry about either..it all comes down to the run.

OK, 6 miles for me today in 72 degree heat and 84% humidity. Not bad at a 8:36 pace. Still need to get faster though. The forecast is looking pretty good though after this weekend with overnight lows back in the 60s in the DC area.

I need some shoes for offroad running. I'm not an "Ultra" guy, but I do all my running on fields and through forests. I need some new shoes but don't really have much to choose from at stores here, so I'm thinking of going mail order and would really like it to work out on the first attempt, which is why I'm asking here.

It has been a while since we skirted this topic and with the many new faces I decided to start a good beer thread. Tonight I had a beer that I picked up in California. It's a brew I have never heard of but man is it good.

What are others planning on running next? My next one that I call official is in Vermont at the end of January(I mean July). I plan on running a fast 2 mile race on July 4th. but the big event is in Vermont.

I'm as ready as one can be for this triathlon on Sunday. I'm excited about it. My goal is to make it under 1 1/2 hours. I can do the swim in 12 minutes or less, bike in under 40 and run in 30. The transitions will get me as I have to go to the bathroom more often and think I'll have to go each transitions. LOL!

I've done about 5 sprint tri's and I'm really slow on the swim. I can do the distance. I don't know if I should focus on kicking more or there is something about my form, or I'm just not strong enough.

I am on week five of the couch to 5K from coolrunning.com. There is a half marathon on Oct 11 I want to run. That would mean I would finish my couch to 5K program the third week of July and jump right into the build up for the half-marathon.

Climbing Everest because it's there is inspiring. Climbing Everest because it's in Tibet is not nearly so heartwarming, particularly to an international audience that is still trying to sort through the ethics of getting enthusiastic about August's Beijing Olympics.Read full story

Make doping a crime, says Lewis

Olympic legend Carl Lewis has called on governments around the world to make the use of banned substances in sport a criminal offense.Read full story

Shave valuable time in you bike-to-run triathlon transitions by installing a quick-lace system:

TCSD (Triathlon Club San Diego) released a preview of their 2008 race apparel:

For those of you coming down from your weekend runner’s high, check out this article posted by Active Expert Charles Stuart Platkin, where researchers have finally demonstrated the existence of an 'endorphin driven runner's high'.

Hey everyone, Trish and Toby here. This month we've created a guide to our best seasonal articles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the holidays. No matter what your active passion may be, we've got you covered.

Lifestyle:

With holiday feasts right around the corner and weather that can diminish our motivation to train, it is not uncommon to pack on a few extra pounds this time of year. Active Expert Charles Stuart Platkin’s article, The Diet Detective: Fall Into Healthy Eating Habits, offers valuable tips for maintaining fitness without a compromise in performance at winter races and ensures a return to peak form in the spring.

Endurance:

Have you ever heard the saying, “athletes are made in the off season”? Now's the time to target your weaknesses and build proper technique and habits to lead into a successful racing season. Check out Boost Your Endurance in 7 Simple Steps and get the most from your off-season training.

Team:

Basketball season is upon us and it’s time for fundamental workouts with and without the basketball. Mississippi State basketball coach, Sharon Fanning, shares a 45-minute Workout that will developing confidence, coordination, strength, timing, and stamina on the hardwood.

Action:

Indoor Climbing Gyms Offer Year-round Fun Fitness and a nice break from the treadmill and stationary bike routine. Don’t let the winter elements take you off belay—utilize indoor climbing gyms to build stamina and confidence in a controlled environment. When the weather warms enough to head outdoors, you’ll be in peak condition.

Activities of Interest:

Check out Sacramento Winter Softball Camp by Olympic gold medalists Tairia Flowers and Natasha Watleyto hone your softball skills at the plate and in the field. Focus will be on increasing offensive power, slapping techniques, defensive fundamentals and pitching development. This camp will also feature practice-structure tips and drills along with valuable college recruiting advice from the pros.

Take advantage of The Classic Y-100, one of the last century rides of the year on November 25 in Ormond Beach, Florida. Crank out 100 in this inaugural ride that promises a beautiful route leading north along the Intracoastal waterway through parks and along the Atlantic coast. This event features a great safe route for beginners as well as 65- and 35-mile routes.

Folks in Southern California have already begun to register for the 2008 Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon on January 20. This was Toby’s first half marathon back in 2006 and he recommends it for runners of all abilities because of the fast course and beautiful ocean view.

See your training bear fruit at the oldest Ironman-distance triathlon held in the continental United States. Check out one of five 2008 Vineman events: Ironman 70.3, full Vineman, sprint tri at sundown, women's half or Aquabike during this weekend-long triathlon celebration.

Triathletes who begin at the Sprint-distance level and aspire to race the Olympic distance remain confident during the small incremental increase in training and strategy needed to compete at the next level. The same gradual progression in difficulty holds true for Olympic-distance triathletes who advance to the Ironman 70.3 level. In stark contrast, there remains a 70.3-mile disparity between the Ironman 70.3 and full-length Ironman race that prevents scores of professional triathletes from advancing to the Ironman.

Triathletes will use competition at the Ironman 70.3 level as a base throughout the season before raising their training intensity for one specific Ironman event. In order to make this leap of faith, an athlete must be completely dedicated to training and race strategy while training twice as much as before. This may all change in the near future with the introduction of the Triathlon One O One series which launched last week in Bradenton, Fla.

Swim: 1.86mi (3km)

Bike: 80.6mi (130km)

Run: 18.6mi (30km)

Total: 101.06 miles (166km)

Although this distance is not new to the world of triathlon, the fact that the series is slated to expand next year and total 20 events worldwide by 2010 will have an impact on the industry. Offering a distance that bridges the gap between half and full Ironman will act as an incentive for Ironman 70.3 contestants to take another step forward. This may also create a level playing field for competition between Ironman and Ironman 70.3 specialists. The series is too young to predict which group will excel but it is certain that the $50,000 professional prize purse and the Triathlon One O One Championship featuring a $150,000 professional prize purse will lure plenty of contestants to the starting line.

I am proud to announce that I have begun week 15 of my 18-week training program for the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. I have covered roughly 400 miles of road, beach and trails, including My First Ultramarathon in the past three months. In order to maximize the benefits of my training, I have begun what the endurance world refers to as "tapering." Tapering is simply a reduction in training volume so the body can rebuild to peak strength. During this period, muscles have the chance to repair, glycogen energy stores replenish, the body re-hydrates, and joint and tendon inflammation subside.

Experts have debated over the exact number of days needed for a successful taper, but it is certain that the focus shifts from quantity to quality during this three to four-week process. Incorporating speed work, like the Fartlek Method, followed by a light day will help maintain confidence and prevent a common side effect, discussed by Active Expert, Gale Bernhardt in her article, "[The Taper Blues|http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13135&category=Triathlon&num=0]." The blues can easily discourage an athlete who has become accustomed to high-energy expenditure during training because he or she will have more energy and feel stronger than ever before. It is imperative not to act on these feelings which may sacrifice months of hard work. Also, it is quite common for an athlete to overlook the fact that they are burning fewer calories; therefore they most adjust their nutrition plan accordingly.

Stay positive during this stage of rest, and use your extra time and energy to practice visualization techniques and review race-course and race-day details. Most importantly, remember why you are doing this in the first place and consider how far you have come and how you have grown as a person over the past three months.

The 15-year-old paralympic swimmer, Jessica Long, is the first paralympic athlete to win the AAU James E. Sullivan Award. This prestigious award has been presented annually since 1930 and recognizes the best amateur athlete in the United States. Long, who produced 18 world record-breaking performances in 2006, was selected from a field of 15 finalists, including swimming superstar MichaelPhelps,Notre DamequarterbackBrady Quinn, speedskaterApoloOhno and figureskater Sasha Cohen.

Long was born in Siberia and adopted from a Russian orphanage at the age of 13 months by an American couple. Due to deformities, her legs were amputated below the knee when she was 18 months old. Long enjoyed many different sports during her childhood with prostheses, but found swimming to be her strength.

Since hitting the water, Long has set and re-set a multitude of paralympic swimming records. In addition to establishing herself as a role model and mentor for kids with physical disabilities, her recent Sullivan Award win reaches a great milestone for paralympic swimming and paralympic sports.

Click here, for more information about Jessica Long and her accomplishments.

After speaking with a few friends who are racing in a sprint triathlon this weekend, I felt compelled to write about the commonality I observed among this group of beginner triathletes. Each made the mistake of focusing solely on training for the three main events: swimming,cycling, and running, and overlooked the significance of the transitions.

Strategically executed transitions will make the difference between a racer's overall position and wasted time and energy that is nearly impossible to recover in a sprint race. For a beginning triathlete to become more competitive, he or she must approach triathlon as a five-stage race: the swim, swim-to-bike transition (T1), the bike, the bike-to-run transition (T2) and the run.

The most practical way to gain experience would be to compete in more races, but beginners who lack real-time experience can practice T1 and T2 to master these skills. Our very own Active Expert, Gale Bernhardt has compiled a list of techniques to help you perform screaming fast transitions.

The sixth annual Teva Mountain Games is returning to Vail, Colo. May 30 - June 3. This is the country's largest adventure sports festival celebrating mountain sports, soul and culture. This week-long gathering of professional and amateur outdoor adventure athletes from around the world will feature competition in multiple sports including: freeride mountain biking and big air, cross country racing and the Vail hill climb, freestyle and extreme kayaking, kayak and raft paddlecross,bouldering,speed and dynoclimbing,trail running championships, and the Ultimate Mountain Challenge. To Register for events, click here.

Floyd Landis is set to compete as a member of Team Athletes for a Cure in the Ultimate Mountain Challenge. This event is just eight months after the current/tentative/putative/besieged/etc. 2006 Tour de France winner underwent major hip surgery. Click here to read the full story.

In addition to the athletic events, the Teva Mountain Games will include an adventure photography competition, a film competition, an interactive exhibition and demo area, live music and the prestigious Everest Awards ceremony.

The adventure racing craze is sweeping the nation and a myriad of new races are being organized from coast to coast. Increases in participation have been linked to the natural cross-over for cyclists,runners and water-sport aficionados, but I believe the true allure of this demanding activity lies within the individual who is forced to realize his or her limits and push through them -- all while contributing to a team.

This team dynamic offers endurance athletes used to the solitude of triathlon or marathon the chance to work together as cohesive unit compensating for individual strengths and weaknesses. This creates an opportunity for individuals to emerge as leaders within certain areas of the race and responsibilities are delegated accordingly. Often, teams designate a captain and a navigator who've proven they can perform those tasks despite challenges such as sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion. Capitalizing on these strengths keeps a team organized and on track during the onset of fatigue.

I asked my friend Barrie Adsett, navigator for San Diego-based Team Equinox, what he considers to be the key to adventure racing. He explained, "In adventure racing, reading a map and knowing how to navigate are maybe more important than being a strong or fast athlete. No matter how fast you go, if you go the wrong way you are just further away from where you are meant to be, that much quicker."

Team captain Steve Moore commented, "Equinox has proven many times that brains beats pure brawn." Adsett added, "In the hare-and-tortoise fashion, going an optimal route is better than zipping everywhere but getting nowhere." Kristine Gillis, the sole female member of the co-ed team, recommends practicing with orienteering clubs and regional adventure racing groups.

Saturday morning is supposed to be a 20-mile training run according to my over the counter training regiment for the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Instead, I will up the ante and attempt my first ultramarathon. My decision to run the Lake Hodges50K has been inspired in part by the many endurance athletes that I learn about everyday here at Active.com. My other source of motivation comes from my lack of experience at such high mileage. In fact, leading up to this point, I have never logged a run greater than 18 miles. The decision to go even farther is not made in haste; it is based on careful research into ultra events. I've formulated a game plan that will take me to the finish line without risking my health for the race in June.

First and foremost, I have already run the entire race course in sections. I can visualize my approach while maintaining a psychological edge when the going gets tough. Secondly, my goal to cross the finish line within an eight-hour limit requires a pace that is faster than 15 minutes per mile. This is easily achieved by utilizing the keystone of this plan; the 5-to-1 ratio. After each five minute interval of running, I will walk for one minute and repeat this method for the five or more hours that it takes to cross the finish line, all the while conserving energy for later in the race by avoiding running up steep hills.

This race will also serve as a test of my in-race nutrition. I will finally be able to experience the stress on my gastrointestinal system (GI), while ingesting water and endurance fuel for a prolonged period of time. I'll have a water bottle strapped to each hand. The first bottle will contain plain water which I will refill at the seven aid stations throughout the race. The second water bottle will be a highly concentrated blend of two endurance formulas containing a 7-to-1 carbohydrate-to-soy protein ratio. This fuel also contains all the necessary electrolytes and calories, allowing me to travel without any other fuel. At the 16.2-mile aid station, friends will bring my drop bag containing fresh running socks, shirt, hat, sunscreen, Aleve and more endurance fuel for the remaining 15 miles of the course.

My nine weeks of conditioning, experience on the race course, in-race nutrition plan, support crew and will to succeed should be all I need to achieve my goal of finishing the ultramarathon. I hope to better understand how my body will react during the stress of prolonged activity and high mileage. I will then apply this knowledge and make the necessary adjustments to both my training regimen and my in-race nutrition to handle the intensity of a faster pace during the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in nine weeks. Check back on Monday for a recap of this event and find out how it all plays out.

I recognized that I hit the first plateau in my 18-week training program when my training and nutrition regimen were dialed-in but my leg strength seemed to be deteriorating instead of building. In need of either cross-training or performance-enhancingexercises to counter this common stage, I came across the following article which helped me get my training back on track.

This featured article is for the runner,triathlete or adventure racer looking to develop the strength of their stride without logging additional miles or hitting the gym. These simple exercises will benefit both sprinters and ultra-distance runners alike, and can be performed in the comfort of the home. Read the following story to learn four exercises to increase your running speed.

Last week, Paul Staso canceled his transcontinental-campaign, P.A.C.E. Bike 2007, due to a series of unfortunate events. Less than one week after retuning home to his family, Staso has vowed to continue promoting youth fitness in America. This time, he won?t be traveling by foot or bike -- he'll be driving. On April 30, Staso will travel to Delaware and begin a one-month, cross-country speaking tour at schools along the route that he ran during his P.A.C.E Run 2006.

Staso has shifted gears from fitness to logistics in a last-minute effort to raise funds for his journey. Six-thousand miles of driving in a month is a daunting task, but nothing like his 3,260-mile east-to-west-coast run in 2006. Without the physical burden, Staso will benefit from increased energy during P.A.C.E. Tour 2007 and will make frequent stops to conduct quality motivational presentations and raise awareness in children about the importance of health and fitness.

[series of unfortunate events|http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/08/pacetour.jpg] Staso's real-life struggle during his attempt to cycle across the country has created a more endearing persona. Instead of Staso being viewed as an athlete that is capable of the extraordinary, he now has more human-like characteristics associated with him. This new platform will allow Staso to reach a greater audience of children who have experienced a similar struggle with setting and reaching goals. Our thoughts and support are with Staso as he continues Promoting Active Children Everywhere.

ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.